38
GERALD L. YOUNG
6. The study of government as political ecology
The adaptation of an ecological approach in political science is in a
situation similar to that found in economics, with only a few political
scientists involved directly in trying consciously to integrate the methods
of ecology into the field. The integrative attempt is not, however,
dominated by one worker to the extent that it is in economics. There are
still only relatively few, but the work is accelerating more rapidly than
in economics or in most of the established areas in human ecology.
Caldwell (I966a, b, 1969, 1970) and the Sprouts (1956, 1957, 1965,
1968,1971) have made the most comprehensive attempts at integration,
though one of the best short reviews is that by Pfaltzgraff (1968).
Mention should also be made of contributions by Heberle (1952), De
Jouvenal (1957), Huxley (1963), Russett (1967a, b), Weisberg (1970,
1971) and Wheeler (1970). These latter provide stimulating ideas but do
not as obviously seek the integration that is the purpose of the present
paper. Most of the existing literature is oriented toward political
solution of environmental problems; many of the attempts are primarily
polemics.
Some of Caldwell’s work is also directly oriented toward resolution of
environmental problems, but his comments are more formally couched
in integrative ecological terms. He is, in fact, quite widely accepted as a
fine ecologist. His major focus is on the incorporation of ecological
principles into the decision-making process, especially that which leads
to public policy statements and, second, on the application of ecological
principles through ecologically derived public policy to the administration and management of environment. Caldwell (1970) describes this as
“environmental administration”, which in turn is defined first as the
shaping of the human environment by man himself and, second, as the
control of human action in relation to the environment. The second is
considered the greatest task today. He focuses not on the study of
environmental administration but on the process of such administration
itself. A major point is that the “politics of environmental policy
intensify as the demands of men upon the environment” increase,
resulting in two circumstances “that necessitate environmental administration”. The first circumstance is an increase in social conflict to
the point where governmental allocation or mediation of the use of the
environment is required or forced and, second, is an increase in the
“cumulative stress” on the environment that “forces public intervention
to protect the life-support capabilities of the environment from impairment or destruction”.
The Sprouts must be recognized as pioneers in the attempt to relate
ecology with the study of politics and, especially, international relations.
GERALD L. YOUNG
6. The study of government as political ecology
The adaptation of an ecological approach in political science is in a
situation similar to that found in economics, with only a few political
scientists involved directly in trying consciously to integrate the methods
of ecology into the field. The integrative attempt is not, however,
dominated by one worker to the extent that it is in economics. There are
still only relatively few, but the work is accelerating more rapidly than
in economics or in most of the established areas in human ecology.
Caldwell (I966a, b, 1969, 1970) and the Sprouts (1956, 1957, 1965,
1968,1971) have made the most comprehensive attempts at integration,
though one of the best short reviews is that by Pfaltzgraff (1968).
Mention should also be made of contributions by Heberle (1952), De
Jouvenal (1957), Huxley (1963), Russett (1967a, b), Weisberg (1970,
1971) and Wheeler (1970). These latter provide stimulating ideas but do
not as obviously seek the integration that is the purpose of the present
paper. Most of the existing literature is oriented toward political
solution of environmental problems; many of the attempts are primarily
polemics.
Some of Caldwell’s work is also directly oriented toward resolution of
environmental problems, but his comments are more formally couched
in integrative ecological terms. He is, in fact, quite widely accepted as a
fine ecologist. His major focus is on the incorporation of ecological
principles into the decision-making process, especially that which leads
to public policy statements and, second, on the application of ecological
principles through ecologically derived public policy to the administration and management of environment. Caldwell (1970) describes this as
“environmental administration”, which in turn is defined first as the
shaping of the human environment by man himself and, second, as the
control of human action in relation to the environment. The second is
considered the greatest task today. He focuses not on the study of
environmental administration but on the process of such administration
itself. A major point is that the “politics of environmental policy
intensify as the demands of men upon the environment” increase,
resulting in two circumstances “that necessitate environmental administration”. The first circumstance is an increase in social conflict to
the point where governmental allocation or mediation of the use of the
environment is required or forced and, second, is an increase in the
“cumulative stress” on the environment that “forces public intervention
to protect the life-support capabilities of the environment from impairment or destruction”.
The Sprouts must be recognized as pioneers in the attempt to relate
ecology with the study of politics and, especially, international relations.